Today President Obama repeated his call for Congress to pass energy legislation this summer, this time emphasizing the jobs that would result from expanding clean energy manufacturing tax credits.
According to the Associated Press, “Obama told an audience at the University of Nevada that a $5 billion increase in clean energy manufacturing tax credits could generate nearly 40,000 jobs…If an American company wants to create jobs and grow, we should be there to help them do it," Obama said.
He was in Nevada in part for a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, who is in a tough re-election race.
Today’s event in Nevada was only a warmup for what could come later this month, when the Senate hopes to take up a major energy bill put together by Senator Reid.
The wind energy industry is pushing hard for legislation that would include a strong renewable electricity standard (RES) to stimulate demand in the midst of a slow year. Wind executives are planning to descend on Congress beginning next week to explain how an RES will not only increase demand for wind energy, but will also create manufacturing jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase energy security.
The industry will point to recent studies showing the a strong RES would create thousands of new jobs, including manufacturing. Those states that have adopted strong renewable target, such as Iowa and Wisconsin, have seen an influx of manufacturing in the last several years. |
